Natalie Osborne
‘Growing up with so many sisters, all so close in age, gave me a feeling of belonging that really shaped my identity,’ explains Oklahoma-born artist Natalie Osborne. ‘We styled ourselves after our mother, an engineer in the aerodynamic field. She’s our muse. I see my sisters and my mother in my paintings, and I see that “girl gang” dynamic in the work.’ It’s this strength of self identity that shines through in Natalie’s mixed-media portraits and has brought her success as a rising online art star.
2020 has already been a busy year for Natalie, who is currently creating artwork and prints to sell both via her online Etsy store Natalie Odecor, and for Chairish, an online showcase for vintage and contemporary furniture and art. ‘Instagram gave me a platform to show my art and I was able to get the attention of designers and art buyers.’ Natalie’s Cubist-inspired style stems from a background studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where, as Natalie explains, she ‘became addicted to the art history and the jaw-dropping permanent collection of the museum’.
Working from a studio in her apartment in Chicago, inspiration largely comes from interior design history and online platforms, and her work is now mainly non-commission. ‘I look at those images on social media and I try to imagine the paintings I would add to those spaces. I used to take on commissions and projects from different clients, but I found that creating a steady inventory of paintings and managing shipments and customer services was more than a full-time job. In order to be able to guarantee good-quality work and customer service I decided to only offer the pieces for sale on my online Etsy shop. I find my life and business has become much more balanced because of this.’ Natalie is currently working full-time on an exclusive collection of original framed paintings for Chairish.
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The striking mixed-media work Hopeful, plus more of Natalie’s Cubistinspired work can found on Etsy
Based in Chicago, Natalie’s art is inspired by her mother and sisters and their strong sense of identity. She says, ‘I see that “girl gang” dynamic in my work.’